


red flag keeper

by partiallight



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Incest, M/M, Pirates, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-18 09:01:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28615503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/partiallight/pseuds/partiallight
Summary: A simple job: Taking the younger Kujo hostage.The benefit: Possibly finding Tenn on the way.Riku did not expect to find both at the same time.
Relationships: Kujou Ten/Nanase Riku
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	red flag keeper

**Author's Note:**

> riku pov hard  
> i'm giving my best though  
> this is a pirate au but assume that any mythical sea creature or deity does exist

“Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me~” 

“You’re in awfully good spirits today, Nanase-san.” Iori seems displeased with that. “But don’t overdo it, we wouldn’t want the plan to fail at a crucial mo—”

“Yeah, yeah, Iori, I know.” Riku sighs. “Stop treating me like a child. I didn’t mess up last time, either, did I?”

“This is different. We’re taking a hostage, after all.”

“I wonder if Commander Kujo is strong…”

“His reputation says as much. Don’t underestimate him.”

Riku is tired of Iori’s overcautious nature by now. It was Iori who had suggested they kidnap the younger Kujo in the first place, considering the older Kujo is said to offer anything in return. But it will be up to Riku to actually capture him, because…

“And you intend to keep Yaotome-san and Tsunashi-san busy?”

“You’re always polite to them, huh?” Iori sighs. “And yes, I will. Together with Rokuya-san.”

Riku isn’t quite sure what made Lieutenants Yaotome and Tsunashi take so much of a liking to him, but apparently it’s related to his crew being 'real pirates', unlike most.

He wouldn’t know.

He didn’t become a pirate for freedom, after all. He became a pirate after being given freedom while losing his family.

“Thinking about your older brother again?” Iori knows him too well.

“Mhm.” Riku leans over the railing. “We’ve sailed for so long, but I’ve found no trace of him. Though I guess Momo-san and Yuki-san at least told us a direction...”

Had they not run into them, Riku would still be going through every single village searching for Tenn.

“They might still have misunderstood your description of him,” Iori points out, causing Riku to scowl.

“Let me have some hope!”

Before they can argue more, they hear Yamato’s voice. “Land ahoy! Get ready for the mission!”

“This early?” Iori seems surprised. “I guess it makes sense considering Kinako…”

They still don’t know what Kinako is, or why Kinako can protect them from harm and make their ship faster, but they’ve accepted it.

After all, they wouldn’t be the first pirate crew to have support from the gods.

“The leader has it good, huh…” Riku fastens a dagger to his belt. “He gets to stay here.”

“Hey, you might get to find that brother of yours,” Yamato points out, and that is very much enough to appease Riku.

 _But first, I gotta find that Kujo_.

* * *

They end up dropping anchor a couple minutes away from the main port, because they know of the strength of the Royal Navy.

Riku doesn’t intend to harm civilians, so he walks through the streets like a regular person, enjoying the bustling city.

“I wonder what Yaotome-san and Tsunashi-san are doing right now…”

After all, this is their home, so they should be here while they aren’t busy trying to fight Riku’s crew. Riku has only been here once, so he never got to find out.

Due to a lack of other options, Riku enters a familiar bar, just known as ‘Takanashi’.

The barista this time isn’t the blonde girl from before; this time it’s a guy with long blue hair. He eyes Riku intently before smiling. “You seem like you’re looking for something.”

“Yes. Directions!”

The guy laughs. “First, introductions. I’m Ogami Banri. And you’re Riku, de-facto captain of—”

“The captain is Yamato-san!”, Riku blurts out. “Uhm. I mean. How do you know that, Banri-san?”

“Tsumugi-san told me about you guys.” Banri tilts his head. “Though I didn’t know you’d be coming today.”

“Well, we’ve got business here, after all. I’m looking for Commander Kujo.”

Banri’s smile seems to widen a little. “Fortunately, I can help with that.”

* * *

The Takanashi bar saved Riku a lot of effort for the second time now.

From their willingness to cooperate with pirates, it’s clear they have their own agenda, but Riku can’t fault them. 

After all, Banri just told him the location of Commander Kujo’s private lodgings.

As a kid, Riku wouldn’t have been able to sneak the way he does right now, not without coughing from the stress. But the day Tenn and his parents left, things changed.

He wouldn’t mind if they went back, sometimes.

Picking Commander Kujo’s lock is harder than expected. It’s oddly well-made compared to the rest of the tavern rooms adjacent to Commander Kujo’s. 

_Guess that’s the wealth of the Royal Advisor’s son._

Riku half-wonders why Commander Kujo wouldn’t just live in the palace together with the older Kujo. He has yet to meet either of them, and somehow he feels like meeting them will give him an answer.

Finally having picked the lock, he sneaks in. The pirate instincts tell him to look for valuables, but the hostage has priority.

_It’s just one room. Where could he…_

Riku’s thoughts are interrupted by a rapier under his chin.

“Don’t move,” a strangely familiar voice says right next to his ear. “And tell me what you came here for.”

Riku laughs awkwardly, very aware of the danger. “Well, you see, I’m here to…”

“This voice—”

“...capture you!”

Riku throws his head back, making hard and painful impact with the other guy’s. He slips away from the rapier and manages to handcuff his target. 

Now would be the moment where he’d get a good look at Commander Kujo, but the guy is wearing a long dark hooded cloak.

Riku tilts his head. “Was you coming here a secret then?” 

“Tch.” 

“Sorry about that, my crew told me to gag you…” 

“Why are you apologizing to the enemy? Talk about some half-assed resolve.”

“Hey, we’re just doing this so your father will leave us alone!”

“That won’t work.”

Riku can swear that Commander Kujo is scowling under his hood. But…

“Aaah, I got distracted again. I’ll get you to the ship, then we can talk.” Riku unceremoniously pulls out the cloths he brought to gag Commander Kujo. “Will you follow me or do I have to carry you?”

Somehow, he can feel an air of exasperation from his hostage, who proceeds to walk forward.

Riku blinks.

_He’s really cooperative._

* * *

As Riku leads his hostage to the cell they have on the ship, he wonders why Commander Kujo had said their plan won’t work.

“You really don’t seem like a pirate,” a voice behind him points out. “And that gag was really, really poorly done.”

“It’s the first time I’m doing this, give me a break... “ Riku pouts.

The scolding kind of reminds him of Tenn. It’s not bad.

“So? What is your plan?” 

Riku locks the cell with both him and Commander Kujo inside it. “First, let’s talk!”

He moves to take off Commander Kujo’s hood, but the guy actively moves backward. “Stop that.”

Riku pouts. “Well, then we’ll start with me. I’m…”

“Nanase Riku. 18 years old.”

“How… whatever. What’s your first name? Everyone just calls you Kujo.”

“I have no reason to tell you.”

That’s enough. Riku reaches forward to take the hood off for good this time, but he stumbles, causing both of them to make painful contact with the ground.

Riku blinks, realizing he’s leaning over his hostage in a rather compromising position now.

And that person’s identity...

“...Tenn-nii?”

“Riku,” Tenn says quietly; avoiding eye-contact.

Riku can feel tears falling from his face, and they make contact with Tenn’s.

“I’ve... I’ve been searching for you. Where have you been? Are mom and dad okay?”

At the last sentence, Tenn winces. “You seem in good health. I’m glad.”

“It got better right after you left,” Riku mutters. “But it didn’t feel good at all.”

He wanted to be healthy so he could do more with Tenn, not so he could live a healthy life without him.

For a bit, they just stare at each other.

Then Riku moves to a sitting position, now straddling Tenn. “Tenn-nii. You seem bothered.”

“It’s nothing important.” Tenn still avoids Riku’s gaze. “So? The plan?”

“We wanted to make Kujo sign a contract benefitting pirates in exchange for you…” Now it’s Riku’s turn to look away.

“Like I said, it won’t work. That man thinks that if I were to fail to escape on my own, I wouldn’t be what he needed anyway.”

“What he needed…?”

“A Navy Officer good enough to surpass Zero.”

“Zero…”

Zero, the legendary sailor. Formerly, he was a member of the Navy, then he turned to piracy when he started to disagree with the Navy’s attempts to control the oceans.

Riku shakes his head. “It’s not like that matters anymore. You can come with us now! It won’t be like home, but…”

“I can’t.” Tenn’s expression looks almost pained. “I am Kujo Tenn now. And I will keep my end of my contract.”

“But you’re my brother, Tenn-nii! And what is this about your contract?”

“Riku. Just keep sailing the seven seas and forget about this.”

“I-”

Before Riku can protest more, Tenn abruptly sits up, his hands suddenly uncuffed…

...and his lips on Riku’s.

_Eh? EH?_

Riku feels the blood rushing to his head, everything spins and as he touches his lips, he barely processes Tenn getting up, snatching the cell keys and letting himself out.

“Don’t come looking for me. We are no longer living in the same world.” And with that, Tenn makes his way out.

Riku’s legs move on their own as he runs after Tenn, desperate to not lose him again.

It’s like that night when he was 13 all over again.

_Tenn-nii, don’t…_

When Riku reaches the upper deck, he is greeted with a surprising sight.

“I told you I didn’t need help if something ever happened.” Tenn scowls at Yaotome, who has an unconscious Nagi sitting behind him.

“Oi, Nanase!” Yaotome looks at Riku. “I usually don’t mind what you guys do, but don’t kidnap members of our unit.”

“Your unit?”

“We’re coworkers,” Tsunashi provides from behind them. “We’ll let today slide, but don’t kidnap Tenn again.”

The three of them turn to leave.

Riku is glad they want to let it slide, because he can see his unconscious crew members around the deck. But...

“Tenn-nii!” He takes a step forward. “I don’t care what you say about this, to me you are still my brother! Before you go… can you tell me what happened to mom and dad?”

Tenn does not turn around, but Riku can see his hands shaking.

“Oi, brat. Didn’t you say your parents are d—”

“Shut up, Gaku.”

“He has the right to know.” Yaotome looks angry now. “Nanase. Your parents are dead.”

Riku feels the panic well up in chest.

Dead? His parents he thought were probably safe as long as Tenn-nii was safe?

He sinks to his knees.

“Riku, I’m…” Tenn pauses. “I’m sorry.”

“What happened… to them?”

Tenn does not answer.

“I will tell him if you don’t.” Gaku is glaring at Tenn, but Riku can barely see it through his tears.

“I’ll tell him.” Tenn walks towards Riku and sits down in front of him. “You will hate me for this.”

“I could— I could never hate Tenn-nii—”

“It’s my fault they died. I looked into a way of saving you, and made a deal with the devil.”

“Tenn, don’t be like this to yourself,” Tsunashi provides quietly. “You didn’t know that would happen.”

Riku doubts that it is the literal devil Tenn is talking about considering their ship’s own deity, but he understands.

_Tenn-nii traded their lives for me._

He feels strange, like there is a coldness spreading through his body. “This isn’t your fault, Tenn-nii.”

Riku would never blame Tenn for something like this. Rather, it confirms his worst fear...

_It’s my fault, for being so weak._


End file.
